Just Skin
by PaopuPoof
Summary: When Harry contracts a poison that acts a lot like Muggle leukemia, how can he stop it? More importantly, who can help him through the time of quarantine? HxD fic. Don’t like, don’t read. Like, then read and review, please!


**Just Skin**

Summary: When Harry contracts a poison that acts a lot like Muggle leukemia, how can he stop it? More importantly, who can help him through the time of quarantine? HxD fic. Don't like, don't read. Like, then read and review, please!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other

A/N: I thought up this fic awhile ago. It just kinda never made it onto Word. So today I got bored and decided to write it. There may be a few tweaks to the original here and there, but otherwise it's the same basic plot. This is a songfic, and its set to a country song, but don't hurt me! This song really does say something. It's based on a true story, of a girl that has leukemia. So I think that you should also read the song to sorta get what this fic is saying. Okay, enough of my random babbling, here's the story.

P.S. - The song is called "Skin" by Rascal Flatts. You can look it up on iTunes.

Over at Hogwarts, a few days before the students were coming in, Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, made a mistake. Doing some last minute experiments, he was carrying an unknown poison to his lab. The bright orange liquid swirled in the glass vial.

Unfortunately, Peeves was up to his tricks again. He had set some invisible water on the floor, right in front of Snape. And, going according to Peeves' plan, Snape slid in it. He dropped the vial. It shattered on the ground. Cursing, Snape hastily did a Scourify charm on it, obliterating any remains of glass or potion on the ground. He knew that if any student should contract it, it would kill them unless an antidote was found. And the chances of that were slim to none.

A small drop of orange melted into the ground. It spread, growing on bacteria it found in the sewers of Hogwarts, spreading out across the school, searching for someone that had the right blood type that could house it…….

Harry looked up at the castle with a mixture of happiness and dread. What adventures awaited him this year? The thestrals that pulled the carriages seemed to feel his fear. They snorted, stomping the ground impatiently. Soon enough, they reached the castle. As Harry stepped through the door, he shuddered slightly. He felt a little sick.

_It was just the bumping and jolting of the carriages, it didn't agree with the food I had on the train, _Harry told himself, shrugging it off. Doubtless the feeling would go away.

It was after the feast. Harry was feeling very sick and a little woozy. His friends seemed to notice.

"Hey, Harry, mate, are you all right?" asked Ron. Harry just nodded, his face pale.

"Harry, I think you should go see Madam Pomfrey, you look like you're about to faint," said Hermione. And that's what Harry then proceeded to do. He fainted going up the stairs. He slid down a little ways, getting a nasty cut on his forehead and a painful bruise on his elbow. Rushing after him, Hermione tried to get rid of the bruise, but not even her most powerful spell would make it go away.

Harry woke up in the Hospital Wing, and he immediately knew that there was something worse than a stomachache. Looking down at his throbbing arm, he saw the source of his pain- a big ugly red, yellow, purple and blue bruise. He felt very apprehensive when Madam Pomfrey came in and opened her mouth to speak.

_Sara-Beth,_

_Is scared to death,_

_To hear what the doctor will say._

_She hasn't been well,_

_Since the day that she fell._

_And the bruise, _

_It just won't go away!_

"Mister Potter, I've just called the Weasley's. They're all coming, they'll be here soon. And don't worry, I think that I've identified what this is and what caused it," said Madam Pomfrey. Harry just nodded, his heart plummeting when he heard that he was sick or something. _Or something..._ Harry shivered. That was a scary thought. A few minutes later, Molly and Arthur Weasley and their kids came rushing through the door.

"Harry! Are you all right, dear?" cried Mrs. Weasley. Harry nodded weakly. Madam Pomfrey came rushing out the office door.

"You most certainly are not all right, Mr. Potter! I need you to come with me. I need to run just one more test," she said.

_So she sits and she waits with her mother and dad,_

_And flips through an old magazine,_

_Until the nurse with the smile stands at the door,_

_And says, "Will you please come with me?"_

Harry had to be helped out of the bed and into the examination room. Madam Pomfrey took out her wand and muttered a spell. A bright purple flashed around the room. She looked grim after the light cleared away.

"Harry, I've figured out where this came from. It's a certain poison that only very powerful witches or wizards can make, called Cayce. It's properties are very numerous, and if you add the right ingredient, you can get it to copy whatever you want that is a Muggle sickness- the flu, colds, viruses; even cancer." Harry gulped. He did not like where this was going.

"Harry, you've got Muggle leukemia."

_Sara- Beth,_

_Is scared to death,_

_Cause the doctor just told her the news._

_Between the red cells and white,_

_Something's not right,_

_But we're gonna take care of you!_

Harry paled considerably and Mrs. Weasley gasped. Hermione let out a cry of shock.

"What- no, I can't- no, no, please, tell me you're wrong!" pleaded Harry, even his hair going pale. Madam Pomfrey just nodded.

"I'm afraid, Harry, that we're going to have to put you into quarantine," said the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, from the doorway. Harry looked at him.

"But, why sir?" asked Hermione.

"Because this only affects those with a similar blood type. I'm hoping that by placing Harry in quarantine, I will keep any other student from getting sick through contact with Harry," answered Dumbledore, "I will be calling all the students down to have an examination to see if they have this specific blood type. If they do then they will be sent to the quarantine chambers. And now, Harry, it's time for us to go." Harry nodded and got up. He felt a little bit better.

They walked down a million hallways and corridors, then through a secret door. It opened into a dusty, half-lit hallway. At the end there was a small oak door, with the word "Quarantine" carved into it in old script.

"Here we are Harry. Hmm, I shall need to have the house elves dust around here soon. Beside that, this is where you shall stay. I think that it will be quite comfortable and will suit your needs," said Dumbledore kindly. He opened the oak door into a small, comfy common room decorated in blues, greens, and browns. There was a fireplace with a couch and two armchairs, and a rug beneath it. One side of the room was dedicated to a wall of bookshelves. On another side, there was a kitchenette, then four doors that Harry assumed led to bedrooms. A flight of stairs led up to a floor just like this one. It kept doing that, as far up as Harry could see.

"This room was built during the bubonic plague outbreak. We stored over half the sick students in here. Unfortunately, only some survived. That's why it's built this way. Over there, by the bookshelf, that is where you can study and practice any spells you want to. I'm expecting you to keep up with your studies," said Dumbledore. Just then, a girl came into the room from the kitchenette. She was holding a muffin. Her eyes grew wide when she saw them. She snarled, then turned away, growling. Harry was a little frightened. She was Asian, with medium length black hair and very dark brown eyes. She was around 5 foot 2, and she was wearing Slytherin robes. Dumbledore sighed.

"Don't mind Amanda, Harry. She's been here since fourth year. Around that time, she started going insane. Don't know how it started. She was very bright. Pity. I believe that she could rival Ms. Granger for brains," said Dumbledore, "Well, then. I think that I'll leave now. I'll have Professor Snape begin looking for a cure immediately. You just get settled. Good-bye, and good luck." He closed the door behind him, physically and magically locking the door shut.

_Six chances until it won't come back again, _

_With a therapy we're gonna try._

_It's just been approved,_

_It's the strongest there is._

_And I think we caught it in time._

Harry was all alone, in a room, with leukemia, cooped up with a retard. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and imagined himself in his common room, chatting with Hermione and Ron. A slow smile graced his face.

_Sara-Beth closes her eyes._

_She dreams she's dancin',_

_Around and around,_

_Without any cares._

_And her very first love, _

_Is holding her close,_

_And the soft wind is blowing her hair._

Harry was going insane. It had been three weeks alone with no one to talk to. He caught himself talking to inanimate objects. And he was afraid that Amanda was going to kill him. Yesterday, he had walked in on her tearing the pages out of the books, then throwing the books in the fire. She was muttering something all the while. Every time she threw a book in the fire, it came back again on the shelf. When Harry tried to point this out, Amanda hissed at him, then started throwing books at him. Her aim wasn't so bad. A few books hit him, and one got him in the shin. He was lying on the couch, nursing the bruise, when the oak doors opened and Draco Malfoy was thrown in. Dumbledore came to the doorway.

"Unfortunately, it has been discovered that Mr. Malfoy here has the same blood type as you. Please try not to kill each other. It would be a terrible loss either way," he said, then shut the doors with a resounding boom. Amanda poked her head through her bedroom doorway to see what the noise was. When Draco saw her, he gasped.

"Amanda! Is that really you? So is this where you since fourth year! Why?" Draco asked, going over to shake her by the shoulders. When he got too close, Amanda hissed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Harry, bored.

"And why not?" retaliated Draco.

"Because Amanda's mentally ill. Actually, she's insane."

"Oh." Draco scooted away from her, as if retardation was a disease you can catch, "Well, Potter, why are you here?" he asked, sounding nasty.

"Because of some stupid poison, I now have Muggle leukemia."

"What's that?"

"It's where I have a certain type of cancer that will eventually kill me if I don't get the right treatment, and my hair will fall out." At hearing this, Draco clutched at his hair.

"Will I get it?"

"Probably not. The only reason you're in here is because you have the same blood type as me, and the poison is attracted to only one type of blood- ours."

"I refuse to share anything in common with you!"

Harry sighed. "Oh, just shove it, Malfoy. We're in here for a long time, and if we don't to like each other, it won't be pretty." Harry then offered his hand. "Friends?" he asked Draco. Draco thought for a moment, then grasped Harry's hand.

"Friends."

"Hey, Harry, here's some breakfast!" yelled Draco, tossing a muffin into Harry's room.

"Thanks!" came the muffled reply.

It was four months after Harry and Draco decided to be friends, and their friendship was great. They did everything there was to do with each other- which meant pretty much eating and studying spells together. Sometimes, they had little duels. Slowly, their friendship built until it was rock solid. Although Draco wanted to go a bit higher. Beyond friendship. Harry was kind, patient, caring, and just over all hot. Since they no longer had to wear school robes, they wore whatever they wanted that was in their closet. Which was really sexy stuff for Harry. He didn't think that they were sexy, but the way he wore them made Draco drool.

Suddenly a grief stricken cry split the air. Draco ran into Harry's room, where Harry was kneeling over his pillow. It was covered in black hair, while Harry's head was bald. Draco stood there in shock while Harry picked up the pillow, went into the common room where the fire was burning, and burned his hair. Tears leaked down Harry's cheeks as he watched his hair burn, the acrid smell of it filling the room.

_Sara-Beth is scared to death,_

_As she sits holding her mom._

_Cause it would be a mistake,_

_For someone to take,_

_A girl with no hair to the prom!_

_For just this morning,_

_Right there on her pillow,_

_Was the cruelest of any surprise._

_And she cried when she gathered it all in her hands,_

_The proof that she couldn't deny._

Draco finally came to his senses, then did the only thing he could do to take Harry's mind off of his hair- Draco went over and kissed him.

At first Harry was shocked. He tried to move away, but Draco wouldn't let him. He finally gave up, and got pulled into the kiss. He gasped when Draco nibbled on his lower lip, asking for entrance. Harry complied. He gasped again as Draco's tongue slid into his mouth and began playing with his tongue, in a battle for dominance. His hands went to Draco's hair, and they flopped down onto the couch, Harry on the bottom. Draco worked his hands up Harry's shirt and tweaked his nipples, earning another gasp from Harry. He slid his hands up and down Harry's back, then pulled Harry's shirt clean off. Harry squirmed underneath him, rubbing against Draco's groin. Draco moaned into Harry's mouth. His hands slipped lower, slowly unbuckling Harry's belt. Harry broke the kiss to moan in frustration, and bucked his hips into Draco's, earning a hiss. A voice coughed from the doorway. Draco got up and turned around to see Amanda staring at them with amused eyes. Draco blushed.

"Sorry to interrupt. You may continue with whatever you were- ah- doing…." she said, then backed away. Draco and Harry looked at each other, then scrambled up off the couch like it was on fire. Harry hunted for his shirt, and put it on when he found it. They both stared at each other a little while longer, and then Harry blushed suddenly and ran into his room and shut the door. Draco sighed and ran a hand over his face.

_Fuck…_he thought, _I love him, don't I? And now I've scared him off. _He began dreaming of what they could've been, should've been.

_Sara- Beth closes her eyes._

_She dreams she's dancing._

_Around and around,_

_Without any cares._

_And her very first love,_

_Is holding her close,_

_And the soft wind is blowing her hair._

Draco mentally kicked himself. Then he realized something. _Amanda actually strung intelligible words together in a sentence! She isn't insane anymore! How did that happen?_ Draco went into the kitchen to ask her. Amanda was sitting at the counter, eating some cereal.

"Amanda, why are you no longer insane?" asked Draco abruptly.

"Not one for tact, are you, Draco?" she answered.

"Nope. Now, just answer my question."

"Fine. When I was in fourth year, I took a potion that I'd brewed myself. Ever read _Romeo and Juliet_? No? Well, in it, Juliet takes a potion that makes her go into a coma like state for a little while. I made a potion like that, only it would make the drinker go insane. When I tested it on myself, I immediately went insane. One part of my mind that wasn't affected by the potion was very happy. The potion was only supposed to last for an hour. I guess I made it a little too strong: It lasted for two, three years."

"Wow. You made a potion like that in _fourth year_?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Amanda, I don't think that even Granger could do that now! She's the smartest girl in our year, too!"

"Oh. What house is she in?"

"Gryffindor."

"Well, that would explain it," Amanda said matter-of-factly, "We all know that Slytherins are way smarter than any Gryffindor." Then she left the room. Draco snorted.

"Wow, she is sure full of herself, isn't she?" asked a voice from the doorway. Draco turned around. It was Harry.

"Harry, listen, I want to apologize for what happened earlier," began Draco, but Harry cut him off.

"Draco, it's okay. It was just the heat of the moment sorta thing, right?" said Harry, grinning awkwardly at Draco. Draco just shook his head.

"No. Actually, Harry, it wasn't. I realize that I love you. That was just my way of confessing it to myself and you." Harry's mouth dropped open.

"S-so, it wasn't just a heat thing, then? You really love me?" asked Harry timidly.

"Of course."

"I've never been really loved before. Just liked. And my aunt and uncle hated me. They'd be perfectly happy if I died in here."

Draco walked over and kissed Harry. This kiss was full of passion. Slowly Draco pulled away. "You're not going to die, Harry," he whispered forcefully, then captured Harry's mouth in a kiss again. Harry groaned and gave in.

Edited Scene

Send me a personal message and I'll email it to you

Draco lay beside Harry, covered in sweat. After that, he was just devoted to Harry. He needed to think up something that would show him just how devoted he was. He thought for a few minutes, then smiled to himself. He knew exactly what to do.

_It's quarter to 7,_

_That boy's at the door._

_Her daddy ushers him in._

_But when he takes off his cap,_

_They all start to cry,_

_Cause this morning where his hair had been,_

_Softly she touches--_

_Just skin._

The next morning Harry walked into the kitchen to find Draco sitting at the counter, wearing a large hat. He frowned.

"Draco, I thought you didn't like wearing hats," said Harry, confused.

"I don't," said Draco, and he took off the hat. Harry gasped.

"Wh-where's you're hair, Draco? Did you catch the disease, too? Oh, this is bad, we need to tell Dumbledore!" sputtered Harry, starting to cry. Draco just laughed.

"Relax. I haven't caught the disease."

"Then where's your hair?"

"Gone. But it didn't fall out."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You shaved it off? For me?"

"Yes."

"Oh, thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me!" Harry gushed. He ran over to give Draco a hug. Suddenly, he fell. His head knocked against the counter. Draco stood staring for a moment.

"Amanda! Call Dumbledore! Harry's fainted. This time, I think it's because of the disease!" Amanda ran for the emergency portkey that would bring them to the Hospital Wing. Draco picked up Harry, amazed at how light he was. He ran over to where Amanda was standing. They touched the portkey and whizzed over to the Hospital Wing. Draco put Harry down on one of the beds as Amanda went to get Madam Pomfrey. She came bustling out of the office, took one look at Harry, then went to the fire to call Dumbledore and Snape. They came in five minutes.

"What's the matter with Mr. Potter?" asked Dumbledore.

"The poison has begun taking over his system most severely. He will die within the next hour or sooner if the antidote is not given," answered Madam Pomfrey, her face pale. Draco felt like sobbing.

"I had just finished the antidote when you called me down here," said Snape, "I'll just go back to my office, put some in a flask and give it to Potter here."

"Quickly, go! Mr. Potter's life is in your speed now, Severus," said Dumbledore as Snape raced out the door. They waited in silence for 15 minutes, until they heard Snape's footsteps come down the hall.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" gasped Madam Pomfrey. Just then, Harry woke up.

"Draco," he called in a hoarse voice. Draco leaned in.

"What is it, Harry? Just hold on, Snape's here with the antidote."

Harry shook his head. "No, Draco, I can't. The angels are here. They've come to give me wings. I told them to wait, that I had to say goodbye. To you. Draco, I-I love you. Goodbye." Harry said this last part so quietly that Draco could barely hear. Two tears crept from his eyes as Harry's eye's closed, forever. Harry's face took on a new look, one of peaceful contentment, one that he couldn't achieve while living. It was the look of one without fear.

_They go dancing._

_Around and around,_

_Without any cares._

_And her very first TRUE love,_

_Is holding her close,_

_And for a moment,_

_She isn't scared!_

Dumbledore, Pomfrey, and Snape came over, ready to administer the potion.

"He's dead. Don't bother. He woke up just as you got the antidote. He told me that the angels were calling him so he had to go. Then he went and died," said Draco, no emotion showing in his voice. "I'm going to go back to the quarantine room to tell Amanda."

A/N: Well, that's it. A little angsty, but plenty of comic relief. If you're crying right now, great, so am I. I can be very emotional. And I was listening to a radiothon on my local country station to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which didn't help. They would play sad songs with people talking of their experiences at St. Jude's. They raised $806, 719 for it. During one song, a nurse talked about one girl who died. She said that about two weeks before she died, she started seeing angels. One was named Zoe and one was named Stacy. On the day that she died, she woke up and said that the angels had come to give her her wings, but she wouldn't take them until she had seen her Uncle Max. That was one idea for the last part of this story.

Remember to look up Skin on iTunes or something. It is a really good song.


End file.
